A Helsinki district court dismissed all charges against a daycare employee accused of assaulting eight young children. The 34-year-old man faced allegations of physically harming children aged 2-5 during the first half of last year.
Prosecutors claimed the childcare worker squeezed cheeks, twisted ears, pinched, scratched, and hit children on their heads and bodies. The daycare director filed a police report in June after one incident where the male caregiver made a child cry.
Parents told investigators they discussed the situation at home. One parent reported their 3-year-old son saying: 'There's a monster at daycare who hurts people. I don't want to go to daycare anymore.'
A colleague described concerning situations at the facility. She said the man would bribe children with toys and treats. He once gave nut chocolate to a child with a severe nut allergy, though another staff member intervened.
The caregiver denied all allegations during police interviews. 'Children cry every day when things don't go their way or they have conflicts,' he stated. 'I never made a child cry or did anything wrong.'
He maintained the case involved false accusations from teachers seeking revenge. The man repeated his denials in district court.
The Helsinki District Court found reasonable doubt about his guilt. Judges suggested what children described as hitting might actually have been patting.
Prosecutors also alleged the man tickled children aggressively and wrapped them tightly in blankets. The court determined these actions didn't constitute assault either.
'Descriptions of tickling and being kept under blankets appear in context as play that didn't always please all children,' the ruling stated.
Children's testimony alone proved insufficient for conviction. The court noted numerous uncertainties weakened the reliability of children's accounts. Investigators had also led them during questioning.
The Helsinki District Court issued its decision on October 24. The ruling remains subject to appeal.
This case highlights the challenges in investigating abuse allegations involving very young children. The court faced the difficult task of weighing serious accusations against limited evidence and suggestible testimony.